Lonely
by Foxwing
Summary: My first fanfic, so no promises! Zim begins to experiences new feelings... (bad summary) Now finished!
1. An empty shell

**Lonely**

_Hehe, here we go, my first fanfic. I'm not sure how this is going to work out, and I know the chapters are quite short, but please enjoy anyway!!!!!!_

_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

**Chapter 1 **

**An empty shell**

Zim sat at his computer, staring blankly at the empty screen. For hours he had been trying to come up with a new plan for world conquest, but unfortunately without success.

No matter what he tried, somehow, someway, the pitiful Dib-worm-stink-creature would foil his plans, and throw them back in face (usually in the form of something that burns such as meat and once GIR's disgusting slurpe).

A couple of hours ago he had given up, and now he thought about the looming disaster that was his mission.

The Tallest hadn't called him for months, and he couldn't seem to get an answer when he called them himself.

Was it all over????

He huddled up against the cold chair, hugging his knees to his chest.

Somewhere deep down, he knew his mission had been a failure, _he_ had been a failure. But he couldn't quite grasp the thought; he just couldn't comprehend that he could no longer call himself an invader.

He felt lost and confused, his usual smug, confident self crushed into dust, his hopes and dreams shattered like glass, and now he felt like an empty shell, with no purpose for living.

His only aim in life had been to become an irken elite invader, and now that was over, he did not know what to do, what direction to turn in, who to turn to...

He suddenly realised he was alone in this alien world. For the first time in his life he felt lonely, and it hurt, it hurt deep within. GIR was no company; he just sat glued to the television all day.

This new feeling frightened him, and he didn't understand it- invaders needed no one!!!!!!!!!!!!

No matter how hard he thought about it, he just kept feeling a need for someone to comfort him, someone who he could talk too. But who???

_Who???_


	2. Lost

_Ok, I understand that a lot of people thought that the last chapter was way too short and I agree, so I'm going to try and make them longer this time! I will try and update as quickly as possible, but there is school, and I have a lot of coursework. I was planning this to be a short story, but I'm not sure what's going to happen just yet!_

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**Chapter 2**

**Lost**

Zim had thought for some time about this, '_lonely'_ feeling. He would definitely have to find someone to confide in.

He knew he could not return to Irk, somehow he knew the failure in transmissions from The Tallest were deliberate, somehow he knew he was not wanted. In a way, he had always known somewhere deep down, but his high ego had covered it. With that taken away, the revelations in a failed mission had not hit him quite as hard as it felt they should have done.

So, the only alternative he could think of was a human friend. Normally the mere thought of it would have made him gag, but now it looked like he was going to be staying on Earth for quite some time. And besides, he had changed- it didn't matter as much anymore.

But who was the main problem. Grappling at his belly, he tried to fight the empty space inside of him, which seemed to be eating his tender irken organs. But he could not fill this space alone; he needed someone to fall back on, to fill that cold space.

No one in skool would even look at him, and even so, he needed someone who he could really trust with the truth (although he had considered suicide, he still did not fancy being dissected by humans).

Then an insane thought flickered across his mind.

'What about the Dib-human?'

Zim shook his head, trying to shake the idea from his mind. His soul goal was to show Zim for what he really was, surely he would only laugh and celebrate at his failure and continue to make his life a living hell.

He was out of options. Maybe he was not meant to find anyone; maybe it was his destiny to live the rest of his life in misery on this spinning ball of filth until the loneliness completely consumed him.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The next day Zim hesitantly trudged into skool, his head hung low. He didn't even know why he had come to skool, just to sit in that filthy building listening to Ms Bitters drone on about space imploding in on itself.

Dib immediately added this to his suspicions list. He had never seen Zim like this before. Was it a trick? There was no doubt it looked dodgy, but Dib was burning with curiosity to find out what could make Zim like this.

His usual spirit was unbreakable- he would cover his every mistake just to keep his ego intact. But there was something about him, the way he slouched in his seat, and how his eyes seemed to be missing that bright spark of confidence.

It would need investigating, but he would have to be cautious.

"Class take your filthy seats." Dib's attention turned to the door as Ms Bitters slithered in. "Today we will continuing your lecture on the upcoming DOOM of the unniverse!"

He sighed. It was going to be a long day.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

By lunch Zim still seemed to be acting oddly. Dib glared at him questioningly from across the hall, but he could not meet Zim's eyes.

"What's wrong with Zim today?" Gaz questioned, her eyes never leaving her Gameslave.

"Huh?" Dib suddenly realised that Gaz had asked him a question (she normally would never talk to him when she was playing her game).

'Man, Dib's even stupider than usual today' She thought irritably. "Zim? What's wrong with him?"

Dib was amazed she had even noticed Zim's odd behaviour. "I...don't know. But it's odd...he must be up to something..."

Gaz sighed, annoyed at her brothers pathetic answer. "He's not necessarily up to something every single time you know. I mean look at him! If you want to know what's up why don't you just ask him?"

"Just ask him? Gaz! I can't _just ask him_!" Dib was astonished at his sister's stupidity.

Gaz stormed off- she had had enough of this conversation. That was enough talk with Dib to last at least a week.


	3. Open mind

_Thank-you so much for all the reviews!!! This chapters way longer for all you people who said they were too short (trying my best!)!!! I'm trying to write these as fast as I can, but my computers had loads of errors recently and Microsoft word basically wouldn't work! I still have to figure out exactly how this is going to end. Well I won't bore you any longer! Enjoy!_

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**Chapter 3**

**Open mind**

For a few days now Dib had been watching the alien closely, but he was still no closer to uncovering what was wrong. It just didn't make sense. Zim had gone abnormally long without trying another plan for world conquest or trying to destroy Dib. In fact Zim hadn't even looked at him.

All this made Dib feel that his behaviour was genuine, and that something really was wrong. And, in a strange way that made him feel somewhat uneasy, he felt sort of concerned.

So being unable to ignore it any longer, Dib had taken his sisters advice (_weird_) and was headed towards the peculiar greenish 'house', eager to discover the source of Zim's irregular behaviour.

He carefully trudged up the path, noting that the gnomes appeared to be offline. When he cautiously rang on the doorbell, an all too happy face appeared at the door.

"HI!" GIR yelled. "You're the Dib human!"

"Uh, yeah, is Zi-"

"You got any tacos?" he interrupted.

"Uh, no... listen, is Zi-"

"Ooooooooooooo. Your head's biiiiiiiig!"

"MY HEAD'S NOT BIG!" Dib gasped.

"You wanna see my master?"

"YES!"

"Okaaaaay, sheesh!" And with that GIR toddled off.

Dib was left with the door to Zim's house left wide open, with no one on guard (Zim really was a bad invader). Normally he would have been in in seconds, scouring every corner and taking pictures.

But this time, it just didn't feel right. So he stood there, waiting at the entrance to possibly the oddest home.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After quite a while (he had to stop to get a slurpe), GIR finally found Zim transfixed by the blank transmission screen once again. He stood next to him, squeakily sucking on his chocolate bubblegum drink watching the interference dance on the screen.

"I love this show!"

Zim jumped. He hadn't noticed the tiny robot standing next to him.

"GIR?" He croaked, almost as if he were in a daze.

"That's me!" He screeched.

"What do you want? I thought you were watching TV?"

"Ooooohhhh yeeeeaaaahhh...TV!" He suddenly shot off.

Zim looked questioningly after the robot.

Back up in the house GIR had returned to the sofa and continued to stare obsessively at the scary monkey show. Dib looked at him.

"Well? Where's Zi-"he stopped mid-sentence, as Zim had just rose out of the toilet.

"Dib? What are you doing here?" Zim shouted trying to hide the depression in his voice- rather unsuccessfully.

Dib was startled at Zim's sudden appearance and the fact that he had even acknowledged that he was there. It was the first time since his unusual behaviour had begun that Zim had spoken to Dib, or even met his eyes.

Zim had been in increasing pain with the loneliness each day. Being at Skool soothed it, but only a little. After all, it's not like anyone even looked at him. He noticed immediately how Dib seemed to be acting differently than normal; rather than inspecting the house and cam cording everything like he normally would have done, had he been left alone at Zim's house, he had stood patiently at the door.

"Well? What do you want?" Zim prompted. 'Probably just wants to kick me while I'm down' he thought to himself weakly. He was not in the mood to fight back.

There was an awkward silence. Dib stepped in and shut the door gently behind him, thinking about how he could word what he wanted to say.

"Well, I noticed that you......errr......haven't been yourself lately." Zim gave him a puzzled look. "And, I was wondering what was wrong?"

"I can assure you I am perfectly fine Dibstink. Can't you see that?" he tried his best to cover his voice, but to no avail.

"No you're not okay Zim, anyone who stopped for a second could see that you're not okay. What's happened?"

"Is this some sort of a trick?" Zim spat- he was running out of comebacks. "Why would you even care? You want my guts strewn over am autopsy table remember?"

Zim felt angry at Dib for prying at his private life, but he also felt pleasantly surprised that Dib really did seem to care. Part of him just felt like pouring his heart out to him right now.

"Zim...I-look. This is difficult for me to say you know! I'm trying to help!"

"Why would _you _want to help_ me_?" Zim could no longer fight the tears. They came streaming down his face in floods. "No one wants to help me!" he collapsed against the wall, his face drenched. It did feel good to finally release those tears.

Dib watched Zim, worried that he had taken this too far. What should he do now? There was no way he expected him to fall apart like this.

Zim pulled his knees to his chest and buried his face. He jumped slightly as he felt a warm arm wrap round his shoulder, sending warm tingles down his spine. Zim was aware of Dib crouching next to him against the wall, half hugging him. It felt good. He realised that it was the first time in his life that anyone had ever comforted him like this, and also for the first time, the hollow inside him that loneliness had dug out was being effectively filled with warmth.

Dib had half expected Zim to throw him off, but he was glad he hadn't. He was lonely too, but it was different. It was normal for humans to long for companionship (with the exception of his sister) and feel lonesome when they lacked it, but it was not normal for Irkens.

Also Dib had been alone most of his life- his mum had died when he was only tiny, his dad was hardly ever home, and when he was he was always busy, his normal greeting being 'my poor insane son', Gaz, well just being Gaz and everyone else just thinking he was the 'crazy UFO kid' and nothing more.

He felt it was slightly wrong to suddenly feel concern for his arch nemesis and to be hugging him, but it felt good.

For a while they stayed there, huddled up against the cold cruel world, enjoying the sensation of being close to one another.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After quite some time, Zim lifted his head and mumbled a single word,

"Why?"

"Why what? Dib answered softly

"Why do you care?"

"I...I just felt concerned when something seemed to be wrong with you."

"But you hate me! Why do you want to help?"

"Look, I'm not sure I understand it either, but that's just the way I feel." Zim looked at him with a new admiration.

"So are you going to tell me what's wrong now?"

Zim didn't know why he told Dib, of all people, he didn't know why he was trusting him, but he told him everything. As he finished off, he felt an enormous weight lifted off him.

The whole time Dib had listened attentively without interrupting. He understood that Zim needed to let it all out. He contemplated what Zim had said about being lonely. He had certainly had it harsh, left on an alien plant with no friends. _Abandoned._

He looked up and saw Zim staring at him with a new look in his eyes- a look of new hope, respect, thanks- a look Dib never thought he'd encounter from Zim.

His deep ruby eyes still glistened slightly with warm tears, trickling steadily down his face. It really felt like he was a different person. Dib suddenly realised they were staring into each other's eyes and blushed, looking away.

Zim didn't really understand why humans blushed, so it didn't really mean anything to him.

"Well...I guess I could help with the loneliness. If you want that is..." Dib muttered. Zim nodded- he didn't care that it was Dib, especially not now that his mission was over.

"I'm... not sure what to do" Dib struggled.

"I just feel better when I'm around people I can trust." Zim whispered, trying to control his tears. "Can I trust you?"

Dib nodded. "As long as I can trust you." He smiled weakly. They both knew deep down that they could trust each other, but by saying it aloud, it sort of confirmed it.

Zim huddled closer to Dib, leant his head against him and closed his eyes, enjoying the warmth of Dibs body.

Although Dib liked the feeling of being close to Zim, he told himself it wasn't right. He had too many feelings rushing through him, and the one that prevailed seemed to shout out, _'you can't do this! It's just wrong!'_

Zim had no idea about human relationships, which made it worse for Dib. How could he explain it? He presumed Zim was male, but that was the even weirder thing- he didn't know!

He slowly edged away from Zim and stood up, suddenly feeling very embarrassed about being so close to him.

"Errrrr..." Dib started. Zim looked up at him questioningly. Dib had never seen him look so pitiful. "What do you want me to do?"

Zim shrugged. He wasn't sure about it but nevertheless Dib said, "maybe I should stay the night, to make sure you're okay?" he really had no idea if Irkens even slept.

Zim nodded eagerly. So Dib went to get his nightclothes and things, and told Gaz where he would be spending the night. Of course, the only answer he got was an irritated "ugh" as she stormed off to her room to slay vampire piggies in peace.

When he returned, he found that Zim hadn't moved from his spot on the floor.

"Um...do you sleep at all?" Dib asked hesitantly. That seemed to bring Zim out of his little trance.

"What? Oh... a little... I guess. Irkens only need a couple of hours rest every so often. I haven't slept in a while though, what with... everything." He needn't go on.

"Where do you sleep?"

"I normally rest downstairs in my lab, but I guess the sofa would be more comfortable for your human body." With that, Dib threw his sleeping bag on the couch, and unpacked his pyjamas.

Then another thought struck him- one he really should have thought of. "Err, where do I change?" he blushed.

Zim gave him another bewildered look. Dib supposed that Zim hardly ever changed out of his uniform.

Sighing, he explained. "Humans generally change their clothes overnight."

"What for?" Zim asked, perplexed.

"It's just what we do. Now, where can I change?" he was beginning to feel impatient.

"Well... you can change right there."

This wasn't getting any easier. "Humans also change in private. Where others can't see them."

Zim wanted to ask why, but thought better of it, seeing Dibs impatient face. He let it go, and walked out of sight into the kitchen.

Dib still didn't feel comfortable, but he could tell that this was the best he was going to get.

Zim just couldn't help himself. He was curious to see what Dib was hiding, so, he peered cautiously round the corner. It was an unusual sight for Zim, but it sent strange tingles up and down his spine.

As Dib finished he turned round to find Zim staring mindlessly at him.

"ZIM! What were you-"Dib stopped as Zim realised he'd been caught, and ran back into the kitchen. He could see no point in shouting at him, especially since he didn't understand.

"Are you going to be alright?" he said, calming down. He could just make out a muffled _"Yes"_, so he clambered into his sleeping bag and slowly drifted into sleep.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Later that night, when Zim was sure Dib was fast asleep, Zim came up into the house where the human lay on the couch. He himself had been unable to sleep. He just kept thinking about that moment when Dibs warm body had been next to his, easing his loneliness.

Zim looked at him curiously, and felt jealous that Dib was able to enjoy such a peaceful carefree sleep. He moved closer, so that he could feel Dibs body heat radiating into his own body. It was intoxicating, like it had hooked him and was drawing him in.

He could no longer resist it. Being ignorant to human relationships (not to mention personal space) he climbed softly onto the sofa next to Dib, and cuddled up to his warm body.

He laid his soft green cheek against dibs, enjoying the feeling of his bare skin against Dibs, and wrapped his thin arms around Dibs slim body.

Finally, he could relax and drift into true sleep...


	4. Never

_Once again, thanks for all the reviews! This story is coming to an end now, I think there will only be one more chapter, but I'm still not sure exactly how it will end! Anyway, enough of my blab! Read and enjoy!_

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**Chapter 4**

**Never**

As Dib slowly came to, he felt something wrapped tightly round his middle, and a warm body next to him.

"AAAAGGGGGHHHHHHHH!" he screamed, jumping on top of the sofa as he realised that it was Zim who had been lying next to him. "Zim? What are you doing in my bed? Huh..." he looked round. This certainly wasn't his room. Then all the events of the previous day came flooding back into him.

Zim sat up, groggily rubbing his eyes. In the commotion he had been harshly knocked off the sofa. That was the best sleep he had had since...ever! Dib slumped back onto the sofa, recovering from his moment of confusion and insanity.

"What happened?" Zim mumbled through a yawn.

"Errr... nothing! I... just woke up!" he used Zim's drowsiness to his advantage. Dib didn't need to ask why Zim had been sleeping next to him now that he remembered what had happened yesterday.

He recalled how being near to him seemed to comfort Zim greatly, although it was a rather disturbing wake-up call finding your arch nemesis sleeping next to you, hugging you tightly.

"Hey! You're finally awake!" GIR screeched as he walked in, a can of poop cola in his hand. "Big head kid? Can I have the sofa back now? I wanna watch the scary monkey show!"

Dib sighed as he slid off the sofa. "Sure."

"YEEEEEEEEEHOOOOOOOO!" he sprung onto the couch and grabbed the remote. Zim groaned as 'the scary monkey' came up on the screen. _'That...**horrible** monkey!' _

He turned away, and looked over at Dib, who was now unpacking some unusual box. "What's that?" he questioned. Was it some sort of camera? A weapon? Was he going to suddenly turn against him after all this?

"It's cereal." Dib had anticipated Zim not having anything suitable for a human breakfast. "It's what humans eat for breakfast."

A sigh of relief washed over Zim reassuringly. He had panicked unnecessarily in his delicate state. Humans were odd things.

"Are you going to Skool today?" Dib asked as he started on his cornflakes. He had thought about this for a while now.

"I guess so, if you're going." Unlike Dib, he hadn't thought about it. He was just thinking along the lines of staying near Dib no matter what.

"Well, then I guess I'd better say this now." Dib wasn't sure if this was the best idea or not, but it had to be done. "You can't be going round in public hugging me, and you have to sit in your normal seat at Skool. You can sit with me at lunch, but I don't want you stuck to me all the time."

Zim felt rejected. Why had Dib suddenly set these rules? Dib didn't feel good about saying this, but he had decided that he couldn't have people at Skool thinking that Zim and him were a couple. It was just too weird, and the other kids would have even more reasons to skit and tease him.

"Do you understand?" Dib said harshly.

"Yes." Zim couldn't even look Dib in the eye. He went into his lift, and down into his lab to cry, away from the suddenly cold eyes of Dib.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Later that day, Zim sat at his cold seat, wondering hopelessly whether Dib really had changed, or whether it had been a trick all along. He seemed to have changed attitude to Zim so abruptly that morning, it was like the previous day had been a dream.

Dib had been torturing himself about the way that he had acted towards Zim that morning. He hated that he had had to have been that harsh and cold towards to him, but he just kept telling himself that it was all for the best. He couldn't love the alien, it was wrong enough him being his arch nemesis, but being a different species as well- he just couldn't let it happen.

Part of him though, thought about how much he really would like to give in, and be with Zim all the time, setting aside all that had ever happened between them, setting aside his quest to reveal Zim to the rest of the world, setting aside the thought them being an impossible couple.

But because he was lost in the sea of his feelings, he fell back on the most confident one- the one that shouted no. He could feel that deep down he was going to regret his choice, and it was eating away at him inside. Something bad was going to happen- he could just feel it.

Zim couldn't handle it anymore. He could not cope being alone with the loneliness again, not after he had felt such comfort and happiness in being near Dib. Zim knew he couldn't sleep at his house every day, and that he couldn't always be with him, but it had been all right when he had thought at least Dib cared, and at least he would be there for me. But now that thought had gone as well.

He was in despair. He suddenly realised that Dib was the one he had needed all along, that Dib was the one that could turn his life around- that Dib, was the one he loved. Zim decided that if he could not be with Dib, only misery and pain would follow in his pathetic future. He had to stop that future from ever coming to him.

Dib sat down at his usual table next to Gaz. She didn't even twitch as he joined her- she was deep in the realm of the vampire piggies.

"So, I took your advice." He said, needing to confide in someone about his terrible feeling of doom that seemed to loom ever closer. She grunted and turned her back to him.

He sighed. There was no point in trying to talk to Gaz. If only he could talk to Zim, apologise and pretend he'd never said those things. As he dwelled on his regrets of the conversation that morning, he remembered that he promised Zim he could sit with them.

No doubt it would probably make him feel worse, Zim might not want to speak to him ever again. He recalled having to walk to Skool alone because Zim would not come up from his base after being rejected.

But it didn't look like he would have to worry about that anyway. Zim was nowhere in sight. Dib felt a little nervous that Zim wasn't there, but also relieved that he would not have to face him.

Little did Dib know, that Zim had silently sneaked out of Skool, and run home fast as his skinny legs would allow, to pick out the sharpest item in his base...

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_heehee, this is getting angsty! Well, just one more chapter should do it, please review!_


	5. Expire

_Yay for reviews! This is the last chapter, so I won't blab now (I'll save it until the end!) Please enjoy!_

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**Chapter 5**

**Expire**

Having spent a great deal of time and care deciding which sharp item to use, Zim had chosen a peculiar looking alien weapon. It looked like a dagger of some sort, but the material the blade was made from was indescribable- a material never known by man. It was the sharpest tool Zim could find anyway, but now that he had one, he wasn't sure exactly how to do it.

He had to choose where, so that Dib would find him first, but not too soon- or too late. By now Dib was probably on his way home from Skool. Zim had no idea if he would even come, so he was relying on fate.

After even more time, he had chosen his special spot. He went to GIR, who (as usual) was staring mindlessly at 'the scary monkey show'. Zim shuddered at the sight of the repulsive primate, and walked in front of the screen.

"HIYA MASTER!" GIR squealed as he slid across the couch so he could see the screen. Zim scowled in annoyance and grabbed the remote. He switched off the monitor and threw the remote in the other direction in disgust. He was glad he wouldn't have to put up with that any longer.

"NOOOOOOO! Why? WHY?" GIR screamed, pounding his fists against the floor. "Come back monkey! Come back!"

"GIR!" yelled Zim. "Control yourself. I have something very important to tell you." GIR went silent. As Zim talked to the robot slowly, tears welled up in his eyes.

"Why master? I lov-ed yoooooooou!" Zim looked at him sternly. It had been difficult telling the robot, but the next part would be even harder. He leant down to the robot, and opened the panel on the front of his shiny body.

Squished into the tiny space was a squeaky moose, which he had difficulty yanking out of the way. GIR hugged it as Zim located the correct switch.

"I'm sorry GIR, it's the way it has to be." He hesitantly flipped the switch whilst GIR's watery eyes looked up at him. Suddenly they became dull, and his arms fell limp down to his sides as the memory circuits were erased, leaving GIR as an empty shell.

Zim backed up, looking at the insane SIR unit. He couldn't have GIR in this world without him, who knows what sort of insane things he might do. He stood there, lifeless, his beloved moose in a pool of tears at his feet.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Dib wasn't sure what to do about going to see Zim. He wanted to, to apologise to him, and to find out why he had gone during lunch. He still stood by the fact that it was wrong that he should love Zim, but now that he had had time to think it all through a little more carefully, he realised that it would depend on how much he really loved him.

Eventually he came to the decision that after Zim confiding in and trusting Dib, it was his turn to confess to Zim. So he planned to go to the odd little green house later that evening- after he had thought of what to say that was.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Zim lay in his specially chosen spot now, the razor sharp blade hovering over his bare wrist, the shadow creating a line to cut along. This was it; there was no turning back now. Goodbye cruel world, goodbye tallest, goodbye Dib. He would no longer be in anyone's way; they would be free of him.

He angled the blade nervously over his tender green skin, tensing ready for the pain that would soon follow. He winced as he dug the knife into his wrist, his purplish-red blood seeping out onto the cold metal floor.

He looked up through teary eyes as he heard the doorbell go from somewhere above him. Perfect timing, he thought, and closed his eyes away from his rapidly bleeding cut.

Dib impatiently rang the bell again. Where was Zim? Had he not gone home when he left Skool? But somehow he knew Zim was in this building. As he peered into window, his heart filled with dread as his eyes rested upon the motionless body of GIR.

He had been deactivated, and that meant something was wrong- horribly wrong. He tried the handle on the door, and was surprised to find it open. He rushed through, glancing at the disturbing image of a silent GIR as he headed for the lift to Zim's base.

He stopped dead in his tracks as he came upon a note, deliberately left in the centre of the floor. Anxiously he picked up the note and scanned through it. His eyes opened wide with horror as he finished reading the scribbled writing that had been written hastily on the scrap of paper.

He dropped the note and tore into the lift, impatiently pressing the buttons repeatedly. The second it arrived he clambered in, his hands trembling.

As the lift came to a stop and the door slid open, Dib stepped cautiously into a dull area. It was a vast storage room, but it was narrow and low roofed, the main colours being pinky-reds and purples. His eyes quickly scanned amongst the boxes and boxes of strange alien equipment, searching for signs of life.

Once he would have had a field day routing through all this junk, collecting as much as possible and taking hundreds of pictures before handing them into the Swollen Eyeballs. But those days were over, and right now he was not glad.

At last his eyes fell upon a dark sign. A glimmer of light reflecting off a pool of dark reddish-purple liquid, which seemed to be coming from behind that box. He frantically ran towards that box, almost too afraid to discover what he knew lay behind it.

As he peered around the corner, he felt a tremendous wave of fear and horror rush through him like poison. He stared at what lay before him, utterly horrified. Zim's body lay sprawled across the floor, his skin a pale, sickly green, and his arm covered with many horrific gashes, which still leaked slowly.

"Zim..." Dib whispered, his voice trembling. Zim opened his eyes, though only a little. They were no longer the striking deep ruby eyes Dib knew and loved, but were dull and clouded. "You can't do this!"

"Huh!" Zim chuckled weakly. "It's a bit late for that!" he nodded at the blood that covered and surrounded him. His voice was feeble and hoarse, and he could barely move.

Dib collapsed. "I'm so sorry! I'm SORRY Zim! I don't care who knew or what they think, I just want to be with you!" he sobbed pathetically, irken blood staining his clothes.

"You really care?" Zim whispered in disbelief.

"Of course I care Zim! I didn't want to admit it, I didn't want anyone to know..." Dib didn't know what to say anymore; he could not comprehend what was happening.

"I...I think I care about you too Dib, although it's kinda crazy, and a little weird, I really do. But why did you say those things in the morning?"

With that, Dib realised just how much of a mistake he had made. He had failed Zim, and because of his selfishness, now Zim would die. "Because, I was selfish, I was only thinking about myself. I ignored my true feelings."

"And what are your true feelings?"

Dib paused, it was a difficult thing for him to say, but something about the look in Zim's eyes made him say, "I...I love you Zim." He couldn't find any other way to say it.

Zim looked slightly surprised, but not as much as Dib had expected. Dib even less expected what Zim was going to say next.

"It's funny, I would have been outraged to hear that once, but now, I find that I feel the same way." Dib looked at him, stunned. Zim looked Dib right in the eyes, and smiled softly.

"I love you too!" he whispered. With that, he rested his head against the wall, and closed his dim eyes.

"Zim...Zim!" Dib called out frantically.

But he was too late. All he could do was watch, as his love breathed his last exhausted breath, and fell limp against the wall.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_Dib,_

__

__

_I know in the past we had our fights, and I only wish I'd given them up sooner, or I may not have to be in this situation now._

__

__

_I realise now that it's too late, that you're the one I always needed, you're the one I always wanted._

__

__

_I will never forget yesterday, even in the peace of death that memory will surround me._

_You will be the last person I think about, even if you hate me. You do not have to disguise me anymore; I will finally be out of everyone's way._

__

__

_Goodbye forever_

__

__

_Zim_

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**The End**

_Ok, you maybe able to tell I was depressed when I wrote this, but I didn't go that far in real life I swear! I'm not sure if it was too mushy near the end, but I wasn't sure how to end it. It's probably too angsty as well, but that's it for this story! _

_Some people said there should be more chapters, but this was supposed to be a small story, and I have others planned (which hopefully won't be quite so depressing but we'll see), which I really want to get started on, so look out for them! Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed it!_


End file.
